Cut food waste and save $$$!

New research reveals Americans throw away an average of one pound of food per person every day—translating into hundreds of wasted dollars every year! Here’s how to keep more food out of your trash and more money in your pocket:

● 1 Ask for split packages!

Fruits and veggies top the list of food waste, accounting for nearly 40% of all the food we discard. The key reason: We buy more than our family eats or more than needed for a recipe— often because it comes prepackaged or in bunches, such as asparagus and carrots, then the rest spoils before we use it. The fix: Ask the produce manager at your market to split the package or bunch. Most will gladly give you the exact amount you want!

● 2 Freeze dairy!

Dairy is second on the list of food items most commonly thrown away. Luckily, you can extend the life of dairy products by simply sticking them in the freezer—most can be stored for three to six months even after opening! To find out how to safely freeze your extras, check out the North Dakota State University Extension Service tip sheet (www.ag. Ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/ fnw616.pdf).

● 3 Get the right amount of meat!

Overestimating how much meat will feed all the people around our dining table is why many of us buy more than we need. To get a realistic idea of how much it’ll take to feed your family and guests—based on whether they’re small, average or big eaters—use the free food portions calculator at Savethefood. com/guestimator. Need less than what’s in pre-packaged meat at your supermarket? Most will trim it to the exact portion you want at no charge!

● 4 Store bread this way!

Hate when loaves of bread get stale or moldy before you finish them? You can extend the life of bread by simply storing it the best way according to its type: Prepackaged soft-crusted loaves (such as Wonder Bread) stay fresh longer at room temperature since cold (such as the fridge) dries it out and warmth (for example, near your oven) speeds up mold growth. Fresh-baked bread with hard crusts do best in a paper bag, which keeps moisture from making them chewy. Bread gone stale? Give it a second life as breadcrumbs or croutons.